US Auto Sales Expected To Fall Again For Third Month In A Row

Higher interest rates, higher prices, quickly changing technology and uncertain stock market at work.

Prices have gone through the roof

Sales have been very robust in the years 2015 through 2018. A down trend was expected by me and I am just an amateur spectator on the side lines. I do not forsee record sales again because of companies like LYFT and Uber. I am certainly open to criticism. Bring it on.

We've radically shifted what's on our inventory horizon.

Matt: Don't you have to take certain cars to stay in good standing with the MFG so you can get the cars & trucks you want?

Yes and no. If it's the intro of a new model like the Ranger, they push to dealers and currently the mix is NOT to our liking given that most are high-end models not base. Our base Rangers are sold before they get here and we're being vocal about it.

We're big enough that we can call shots 90% of the time. But I had no problem refusing to take Fiestas because they simply did not sell. Conversely, I took every V6 Mustang I could get because it and the V8 sold very well, which the EcoCrap sat on the lot. Our sales of Mustangs have gone down almost exactly by the number of V6 models we used to sell. We refused the Taurus completely about the time the 2013 Fusion showed that the game was over for the Taurus. We take every Flex we can get because we easily sell every Flex that we get. Sadly, it's gone. We've turned our noses up at the EcoSport because it's rather terrible and doesn't sell. I could tell a similar tale at GM.

Manufacturers have caught on to channeling cars that sell well in some markets more to those markets.

Actually - there are times when - if you want extra allocations of a good selling car - it is NOT UNUSUAL for them to be packaged with less desirable cars as well. Some dealers have enough volume or older agreements that allow them to be in better position to resist those things. It also helps if you floor plan your inventory privately instead of through the Company finance arm.

Today - Manufacturers are better at responding to marketplace fluctuations - because they know that cars that do not sell well will likely need money put on the hood to do it. There was a time when it was better for GM to make the cars - than not make them.

As usual TomM you purport to know something when you don't. You're not in the automotive retailing business, so just keep your uninformed, inaccurate drivel to yourself and let the professionals handle it.